Fix your Slow XP and 98 Network

You can run "wmiprvse.exe" as a process for quick shared network access
to Win98/ME machines. Stick it in Startup or make it a service.
"On the PC running XP, log in as you normally would, go to users, man
age network passwords.
Here is where the problem lies. In this dialog box remove any win98 p
asswords or computer-assigned names for the win98 PCs. In my case , I had
two computer-assigned win98 pc names in this box (example G4k8e6). I del
eted these names (you may have passwords instead). Then go to My Network
Places and -- there you go! -- no more delay!
Now, after I did this and went to My Network Places to browse the first
Win98 PC, I was presented with a password/logon box that looked like this:
logon: G4k8e6/guest (lightly grayed out) and a place to enter a password.
I entered the password that I had previously used to share drives on the Wi
n98 PCs long before I installed XP. I have the guest account enabled in XP.
This solves the problem for Win98 & XP machines on a LAN; I can't guar
antee it will work for Win2K/ME machines as well, but the whole secret lie
s in the passwords. If this doesn't solve your slow WinXP>Win98 access pro
blems, then you probably have other things wrong. Don't forget to uncheck
'simple file sharing,' turn off your ICS firewall, enable NetBIOS over TCP
/IP and install proper protocols, services & permissions."